In a conventional component supply unit, a storage tape for electronic components fed to a component extraction position is pressed by a suppressor which is a pressing device from above to minimize movement of the storage tape in the vertical direction, so that the electronic components are reliably extracted in a stable state, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2011-21693 or the like, for example. When a new storage tape is loaded on the component supply unit, the storage tape is pushed from an upstream side toward a downstream side by driving of a sprocket which is a tape feeding device, and fed in the component supply unit. The suppressor has a cutter which is a cutting unit cutting a cover tape covering an upper surface of the storage tape, and a blade portion is formed on the cutter from a forward end backward in an oblique upward direction. The fed cover tape is cut at an upward position beyond a lower end (forward end) of the blade portion of the cutter, horizontally cut and widened toward both horizontal sides, so that exposed electronic components are fed to an outlet port.
When an end surface of the new storage tape hits the forward end of the cutter and the cover tape is cut with the blade portion, however, there is an apprehension that the blade portion staves the cover tape when a cutting start position for the cover tape lowers from the upward position beyond the forward end of the blade portion and the start position becomes the forward end of the blade portion, and when the former staves the latter, there is an apprehension that a lower surface of the blade portion runs onto the cover tape, i.e., onto the storage tape and cutting of the cover tape is not performed. There has been an apprehension that such a problem arises when supply of the electronic components from the component supply unit stops as a result of this.